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Articles on classified documents

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Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis holds a press conference after the grand jury voted to indict former President Donald Trump on Aug. 14, 2023. Christian Monterrosa/AFP via Getty Images

Where will Trump go on trial first? How federal and state prosecutors and judges work out conflicts

Trump has trial dates set for three of his four criminal cases. But generally, state and federal prosecutors will coordinate to make sure that their dates don’t overlap.
The former president boards his plane at Reagan National Airport following his Aug. 3, 2023, arraignment in Washington. Win McNamee/Getty Images

Donald Trump is right − he is getting special treatment, far better than most other criminal defendants

While Trump has received early warnings ahead of indictments and detailed explanations behind the charges, criminal defendants typically get a bare-bones explanation.
Former President Donald Trump’s classified documents trial will take place at the Alto Lee Adams Sr. United States Courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Despite calls for her to recuse herself from Trump’s criminal case, Judge Aileen Cannon’s situation doesn’t meet the standard for when a judge should step away

Trump appointed Cannon to the bench, but that alone is not a good enough reason for her to recuse herself from the case.
Special counsel Jack Smith speaks to reporters on June 9, 2023, in Washington about the investigation of Trump’s retention of classified records. AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File

Why Trump’s prosecution for keeping secret documents is lawful, constitutional, precedented, nonpartisan and merited

A former national security staffer, now a scholar of secrecy law, says criticisms of Trump’s federal indictment for hoarding classified documents are unfounded.
The New York Times resumed publication of its series of articles based on the Pentagon Papers in its July 1, 1971, edition, after it was given the green light by the Supreme Court. AP Photo/Jim Wells

The New York Times worried that publishing the Pentagon Papers would destroy the newspaper — and the reputation of the US

The New York Times’ publication of the Pentagon Papers showed the paper was willing to jeopardize connections to other powerful institutions, including the government, to serve the public interest.
Police walk around the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. federal courthouse in Miami before Donald Trump’s arraignment on June 12, 2023. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Trump’s trial will soon be underway in Florida – here’s why prosecutors had little choice in selecting any other courthouse location

The Constitution says that a trial must be held where an alleged crime happened – while Trump’s indictment mentions Washington, D.C. and Florida, there are a few reasons why Florida was the pick.
Former President Donald Trump was on the campaign trail in early June 2023, as an investigation continued that led to his indictment on federal charges. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

Trump charged under Espionage Act – which covers a lot more crimes than just spying

Spy cases are rare. More typically, as in the Trump indictment, the act applies to the unauthorized gathering, possessing or transmitting of certain sensitive government information.
Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event in New Hampshire on April 27, 2023. Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

Do federal or state prosecutors get to go first in trying Trump? A law professor untangles the conflict

If a person – in this case, the former president of the United States – is charged by federal and state prosecutors, or prosecutors in different states, at the same time, which case goes first?
A Department of Justice photo shows of documents seized during its Mar-a-Lago search. Department of Justice via Associated Press

Trump faces possible obstruction of justice charges for concealing classified government documents – 2 important things to know about what this means

A government filing on August 30, 2022, alleges that efforts were likely taken “to obstruct the government’s investigation” into classified documents held at Donald Trump’s Florida home.
Mar-a-Lago is shown on Aug. 16, 2022, a week after the FBI’s raid. Nathan Posner/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Trump’s Mar-a-Lago lawsuit spotlights how difficult search warrants are to challenge – by a criminal suspect or an ex-president – until charges are brought

Trump’s lawsuit against the FBI has been criticized as baseless. But it spotlights a loophole in federal law that doesn’t protect people’s rights when they are subjected to a search warrant.
Supporters of former President Donald Trump rally in Bedminster, N.J., on Aug. 14, 2022. Kyle Mazza/Andalou Agency via Getty Images

GOP ‘message laundering’ turns violent, extremist reactions to search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago into acceptable political talking points

Threats to law enforcement have risen in the aftermath of the FBI raid on former President Trump’s Florida estate. Does ‘message laundering’ by top GOP figures have something to do with it?
Former President Donald Trump, at the Conservative Political Action Conference, Aug. 6, 2022, in Dallas. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

You don’t have to be a spy to violate the Espionage Act – and other crucial facts about the law Trump may have broken

Two national security law experts explain how the Espionage Act isn’t only about international intrigue, and share other important points about the law that was invoked in a search of Trump’s estate.
A police officer drives by Mar-a-Lago on August 9, 2022. Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images

Unsealed court documents show the FBI was looking for evidence Trump violated the Espionage Act and other laws – here’s how the documents seized show possible wrongdoing

A legal scholar analyzes the unsealed warrant for the FBI’s recent search of Donald Trump’s home and the list of materials seized there. The implications for Trump are potentially grave.

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